Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Whooping cough vaccine raises no 'untoward safety' concerns in seniors
A whooping cough vaccine can safely be used on seniors to protect them and others such as babies, a U.S. study suggests.
Stem cells being made from blood
A patient's own blood has been used to make personalised stem cells, which doctors hope can be used to treat a range of diseases.
BP banned from new US contracts
BP is temporarily banned from new US contracts due to a "lack of business integrity" over the Gulf of Mexico disaster, the US environment agency says.
Men with belly fat at risk for osteoporosis
Visceral, or deep belly, obesity is a risk factor for bone loss and decreased bone strength in men, according to a new study.
Most patients in the dark about what radiologists do
The role of radiologists in healthcare has long been poorly understood among the general public, but new research shows that even patients who've had imaging exams in the past know...
Immune system could play a central role in age-related macular degeneration
Changes in how genes in the immune system function may result in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of visual impairment in older adults. The findings are epigenetic in...
Big Pharma Doing More For Access To Medicine In Developing Countries Than Two Years Ago
The newest Access to Medicine Index, which ranks pharmaceutical companies on their efforts to improve access to medicine in developing countries, shows that the industry, led by GlaxoSmithKline, is doing more than...
Nicola Motterlini obituary
My colleague and friend Nicola Motterlini, who has died from cancer aged 33, joined the staff of the Health Research Board Centre for Primary Care Research in Dublin in 2009. He studied...
Seven days: 23–29 November 2012
The news in brief: Target for polio eradication missed; greenhouse-gas concentrations hit record high; and science advice to UK politicians is safe.Nature 491 642 doi: 10.1038/491642a
EU rejects French report linking GM corn to cancer (Update)
The EU's food safety agency, EFSA, on Wednesday rejected a bombshell French scientific report linking genetically modified corn to cancer, saying it failed to meet "acceptable scientific standards."
Polio watchers want bar on travellers without vaccination proof
Countries should bar entry to travellers from nations still plagued by polio unless they have proof they have been vaccinated, new report suggests.
The New Old Age Blog: Doctor's Orders? Another Test
A new study suggests older patients are undergoing too many diagnostic tests -- the kind that help doctors figure out what is wrong.
BBC praised for improving science content
Corporation said to have made progress after review criticised amount of fringe content, but gender imbalance still an issueRead the full BBC Trust follow-up reviewThe BBC Trust has praised the corporation for making...
Pollen: Can humans' seasonal bane become a tool in the fight against disease?
As a globally deployed force tasked with defending U.S. interests and delivering humanitarian assistance to international populations, the Department of Defense must be able to provide health care anywhere in...
Thyroid problems linked to irregular heart rhythm
People with an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) carry a greater risk of developing irregular heart rhythm (known as atrial fibrillation) than those with normal thyroid function, finds a new study.
One child mothers with pre-eclampsia at higher risk of heart problems
Women who develop pre-eclampsia during their first pregnancy (known as preterm pre-eclampsia) -- and who don't go on to have any more children -- are at greater risk of dying...
F.D.A. May Tap Experts on Energy Drinks
The Food and Drug Administration will consult outside experts to help determine whether energy drinks pose particular risks to teenagers or people with underlying health problems.
Skin scanner warns about tanning
An ultraviolet skin scanner tours parts of Scotland to warn people about the dangers of tanning.
Defining the art of putting
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) -- Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley, two of the major faces in the debate over belly putters, said Tuesday they would not...
Point-of-care technology speeds treatment
CHICAGO, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- A Chicago-area hospital says its use of point-of-care technology helps diagnosis and treat patients with potential medical emergencies faster.
Four common antipsychotic drugs found to lack safety and effectiveness in older adults
In older adults, antipsychotic drugs are commonly prescribed off-label for a number of disorders outside of their Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indications -- schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The largest...
5 Things You Should Know About Gay Conversion Therapy
Court challenges reveal the shocking and misguided history of therapy to turn gay people straight.
How infidelity helps nieces and nephews: Men may share more genes with sisters' kids than cheating wife's kids
A new study produced new mathematical support for a theory that explains why men in some cultures often feed and care for their sisters’ children: where extramarital sex is common...
Disgust May Contribute to Rare Sexual Disorder
An emotion may translate into a physical defense mechanism.
Is Metformin an Anti-aging Drug?
As we age, we all lose sensitivity to insulin and begin, gradually or rapidly, to poison our bodies [...]
France's Young Researchers Protest 'Precarious' Contracts
Employment law designed to benefit short-term contract workers backfires
N.S. palliative care program a 'rude awakening'
The wife of a man dying of a rare form of cancer says Nova Scotia isn't doing enough to support palliative care patients who want to die at home.
B.C.'s AIDS strategy credited for decline in cases
Offering free treatment for HIV may help reduce the rate of new diagnoses, say B.C. researchers who are calling for the strategy to be used across Canada.